Visit Glendale consultants propose 'Experience Glendale' tourism brand; council asks questions on scope and funding
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Summary
Consultants recommended rebranding Visit Glendale to 'Experience Glendale,' proposed sub-brands and a launch tied to Andretti Indoor Karting; council asked about funding, out-of-state confusion with Glendale, CA, and use of 'AZ' in the mark.
Consultants and staff presented March 20 on a proposed rebrand of Glendale’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, recommending a shift from "Visit Glendale" to "Experience Glendale," new sub-branding for the Sports and Entertainment District, and a promotional rollout tied to the Andretti Indoor Karting grand opening.
Deputy Director of Economic Development Lori German introduced the presentation and said the work follows a five-year contract (RFP 21-40) with Madden Media and a marketing scope funded through the CVB budget. German said the RFP and five-year agreement total $1.8 million and that the work is covered by CVB funds, not general fund dollars.
Consultants led by Jack Petty and Desert Diamond Arena general manager Dale Adams showed branding concepts that use Arizona desert imagery and proposed a primary mark featuring a saguaro cactus and radiant sun. Petty said the new architecture should emphasize Glendale as "Arizona’s entertainment destination" while allowing sub-brands (for example, Downtown Glendale or North Glendale) to sit beneath the parent brand.
"This is perhaps the single most important point we learned ... there is next to nothing that successfully identifies Glendale as the destination where all of these entertainment options exist," Petty said. Adams described a sub-brand for the Sports and Entertainment District that would be most front-facing when promoting that area.
Council questions focused on funding, potential confusion with Glendale, California, and logo variations. Council Member Turner asked whether the budget came from the CVB and whether any general-fund dollars were included; staff answered that the $1.8 million contract is funded from CVB resources. Turner also asked whether the logo could incorporate "Arizona" to address out-of-state confusion; German said variations with "Arizona" below "Glendale" were possible for use outside the region. Petty and German also showed flexible iconography intended to be swapped (for example, a microphone, guitar or sports ball in the logo "e").
Council members said they supported the concept and offered suggestions on icon flexibility and rollout timing. Several council members noted the Andretti Indoor Karting opening as an opportunity for an official unveiling and recommended careful audience segmentation for versions of the mark used outside Arizona.
Why it matters: the city’s tourism brand drives multi-million-square-foot economic activity in the sports and entertainment district, supports hotel occupancy and visitor spending, and is intended to strengthen discoverability of Glendale attractions beyond private venues (for example, State Farm Stadium or Westgate).
Ending: Staff said they would proceed with follow-up work on brand rollout, sub-brand development, and community engagement and noted the launch could be timed with Andretti’s opening and future large events such as spring training and international sporting events.
